Beyond Dawn
Chapter 1
It was all so quiet. Despite the severity of the situation, despite even common sense, which in cases such as these justifiably allows panic to reign free, everything was oddly quiet and... peaceful even.
There were no screams, no grieving complaints, no masses of people desperately trying to escape their impending doom... no nothing.
For the trained eye however, it was not hard to perceive there was indeed something abnormal in the air; after all, the cheerful tumult of life, usually echoing through the cobblestone streets, was unusually replaced that morning by the heavy sounds of metals clinging and clashing together and the occasional stern, commanding voice above it all.
Other than that it almost seemed like another typical day in the country's busy capital city... It almost seemed like Fanelia wasn't getting ready for war at all!
The main square of the capital was in a flurry of activity. The ground troops, dressed in the country's traditional red and gold colours, were scattered all over the place, preparing their weapons and awaiting final instructions, while the last of the melefs, numbered in dozens, were already making their way down the square toward the city gates; their giant steps causing the ground to constantly tremble under ones feet.
In the air, hovering above all the commotion, two giant aircrafts fought the roaring winds in an always vigilant state; they were the first line of defence against the darkening red horizon.
Akeno Takeshi, one of the most respected generals of the Fanelian army and member of the royal council, was given charge of the renowned 1st and 2nd companies of the alpha battalion, an elite group of melef soldiers highly respected, and even feared, all throughout Gaea; as it was fairly known that the king of Fanelia himself had personally trained every single one of them in the arts of melef combat.
The experienced general stood in the middle of the square surrounded by his most trusted captains. "I want you to hold fire until you see the enemy's face." He told them firmly. "We don't know what technology they are using, but we do know it's powerful and deadly. Not even Zaibach was able to stand against it."
One of the captains grimaced visibly at his comment. "Let them be the ones to shoot first." The general persisted. "It will give us an idea of their positions." And then staring straight at the wavering soldier in front of him, he shouted loud to them all. "The king is counting on you men. Don't disappoint him! For Fanelia!"
"For Fanelia!" They all shouted back in unison, and than quickly dismissed to their respective companies, conveying the new orders to the rest of their comrades.
Alone for the first time that morning, Takeshi was finally able to look around him and better evaluate the state of the preparations for the upcoming battle. It was the greatest, largest army force ever to be assembled by his country... and probably the most important one to date.
No war had been more crucial to them all, than the one they were about to partake in. Never did the future of Gaea depend so much on the outcome of the next battles and neither did it ever depend so much on the value and tenacity of the Fanelian army itself.
Too many times in the past, they weren't able to help their allies. After all, for centuries they were considered a poor backwards country of farmers, too powerless against other nations when it came to the battlefield. But not this time! In this wretched war the whole of Fanelia would let the enemy know, they too had one or two things to say.
As Takeshi's fierce eyes roamed the square, he was quick to spot an obviously displaced lanky figure among the crowd of bulky soldiers, making his way toward him with visible effort and trying very hard not to be stepped on by any of the moving melefs.
He looked rather surprised as he addressed the unexpected visitor. "Counsellor Johan? What are you still doing here? Why haven't you evacuated with the others to the mountains?"
"I-I will shortly." The counsellor in question answered, a little overwhelmed. He was a man of peace and diplomacy after all, not of war and brut force; being around such a display of armed weapons always made him feel extremely uncomfortable. "The castle hasn't been completely evacuated yet." He continued hastily. "I have a message from our allies. Zaibach has despatched their remaining war ships to Fanelia at dawn. They are heading this way as we speak."
The general nodded. "Good! We can use their help. The Zaibachs have fought them before, they are bound to hav-"
There was a loud agitation to their side and they both turned their heads, just in time to see some of the soldiers giving way to a young man, mounted in a tired mare that suddenly emerged through the sea of metal. He halted his ride right beside Takeshi and dismounted.
Panting heavily, he immediately kneeled in front of his commanding officer. "General, I bring urgent news from the front."
"Well, spit it out!" The older man said impatiently. "Have the Asturians been able to hold them back?"
The young man's already wan face became even paler and he gulped before answering. "The enemy forces attacked before dawn...While everyone was resting. They used some sort of weapon… It all happened too quickly." He shook his head gravely. "The Asturians had no chance, sir. They're all…" He paused and let the silence speak for itself; the memories obviously still painfully fresh. "Fanelia's 6th and 7th companies refused to abandon the few Asturian survivors…" He added with visible pride. "Th-Their captains said they will hold the enemy down for as long as they can…"
The general's expression was unreadable. He bore the soldier's report with the characteristic cold demeanour he was famous for; though his eyes did widen for a fraction of a second out of surprise. He never once thought the Asturian army would be overcome so easily.
"Very well." He finally spoke up. "There's nothing we can do for them now. Let's hope their sacrifice will not be in vain." The young man looked startled at his general for a moment. "Go join your company soldier. We depart shortly. You'll be able to avenge their deaths soon."
A wave of confidence must have emerged from somewhere inside the young man's body for he stood up immediately to leave; a raging fire in his eyes and determination in his walk. The enemy had just given him one more reason to fight in this war.
Takeshi turned gravely to Johan as soon as they were left alone. "Where is his highness?"
"He went to the gravesite." The counsellor answered simply.
The general nodded in understanding. "Then as I feared, it cannot be stopped." He looked at the gloomy sky above them. "The Dragon will go to war once again."
Van Slanzar de Fanel stood in front of Escaflowne's altar holding a bloody dagger in his bloodied hand as the last waves of pink light subsided and the once dead piece of machinery, sprouted back to life once again.
"I'm sorry, brother." He said to no one in particular. "I was not able to fulfil my promise to you. The greedy hearts of men have once again plunged Gaea into war."
"It's not your fault!" The sound of a crystalline voice startled him. He'd thought for sure he was alone in the clearing.
Van recognized it instantly nonetheless and turned in its direction. "What are you still doing here?" He asked astonished.
The young woman in front of him blushed heavily at his remark. "I stayed behind. I... I wanted to say goodbye... properly." She looked at him distraught. "You shouldn't think it's your fault."
Smiling as best as his current mood would allow him, he calmly made his way toward her. "Maybe it's not all my fault, but I knew King Ulrich's character a lot better than most men. I knew this was what he wanted... To shatter the peace alliance, to make us all fight against each other again... If only I had exposed his true intentions earlier..."
Van sighed heavily. "I really don't like to see you worrying so much." He said as he took a better hold of her concerned expression.
She sheepishly tried to avoid his gaze. "I'm not worried." She said quietly.
What a terrible liar she was! How her shaky voice betrayed her!
And yet, despite the desperate situation they found themselves in and her devastating sadness, she still managed to glow. That was probably what amazed him more about her and also what had immediately been transparent from the very first moment he had laid eyes on her, some years before.
No matter how dark and gloomy the situation might be; how desperate anyone felt around her, her beauty and childlike innocence was enough to brighten and ease even the more disturbed of hearts.
He lifted his arm to caress her cheek, but she gasped horrified. "You're hand…It's bleeding!"
Van looked straight at the hand holding the small dagger. The wound wasn't deep. After all, he had only needed a few drops of his blood to complete the pact with his melef. He and Escaflowne were now bound; flesh and metal destined to fight as one; as it was always intended to be in the first place. The destiny he could not escape from.
"It's nothing." He tried reassuring her, but she had already taken his wounded hand in her delicate ones and was busy wrapping her blue hair sash around it.
"Nonsense, it might infect. Even the smallest wounds can become dangerous. You have to be careful with yourself at all times...You have too...You have..." Her voice started to brake then, and she squeezed his hand tightly; a light stain of red already coming through the thin fabric of the sash.
It was then Van noticed the other spots damping the cloth. "Are you crying?" He asked surprised.
She shook her head. "No…Yes!" She let go of his hand to cover her face. "I know I'm supposed to be strong. It is what everyone expects of me, I know! And I try to be. I swear I try to be strong, but I keep seeing you in my mind, being injured in the battlefield or taken prisoner or being kil…" Her violent sob stopped her from finishing phrasing her most dreaded fear. "…and all because… all because of my own father."
"Isabella!" He quickly closed the distance between them, imprisoning her in a tight embrace; letting her fresh tears damp his clothes.
"Do you know how much I love you, Van?... If something were to happen…" She clutched the front of his jacket more fiercely; fighting against her dark thoughts. "Please, please promise you'll come back to me safe and sound."
Van looked straight at the horizon; at the hell that was expectantly waiting to claim his life and the lives of his men. "You have my word, I'll do my best." He wiped the last traces of tears from her eyes with his good hand and slowly leaned down to kiss her passionately. "I will come back to you." He whispered confidently against her lips.
Their last peaceful moment together was abruptly interrupted by the sound of someone clearing his throat.
"I'm sorry to disturb you." Johan said with a respectful bow. "But the ship is ready to take the last of the evacuees to the mountains, and also... general Takeshi is awaiting your orders, sir... I believe everyone is ready."
Van felt Isabella suddenly shiver in his arms, yet he forced himself to put some distance between them, albeit reluctantly.
"Johan," He eyed his advisor with resolution. "I'm entrusting my wife's safety to you."
"Of course, sir." The old advisor straightened himself immediately, nodding in reassurance. "I'll guard the queen's life with my own." He then turned to her and added with a gentler voice. "This way please, your highness."
Van placed Isabella's hand on top of Johan's and the advisor led his queen quietly away from the clearing toward safety. No more words were exchanged between them. There were none more needed.
As Van led his troops to the battlefield inside Escaflowne's cockpit, he could still smell his wife's sweet scent. The blue sash wrapped in his hand was embedded with her perfume.
Hope you like the new story. I had the idea to write it after I wrote 'A Moment in Time'. This is a continuation of that one-shot actually, although the people who read it are probably thinking right now "What the hell?? This doesn't make any sense!" lol Trust me, it will make a lot of sense in the next few chapters. The big question now is: Is this still a VH fanfic?... Well, keep reading!
If you haven't read 'A Moment in Time' it's ok. I'm writing this story so it can stand on its own and I'm going to write a little back-story in future chapters anyway, so you don't have to go read the other one. Also, this one will most definitely not be as lame and cheesy as the one-shot (at least from now on) lol